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Police, Dec. 6

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A Lansford man faces a host of charges as a result of a Nov. 23 incident that began with an attempt at shoplifting at the Walmart in Mahoning Township, Carbon County, police said.

Township police said in a press release Thursday that Zachary Rossi, 29, is facing charges of retail theft, conspiracy to commit retail theft, unsworn falsification to authorities, false reports to law enforcement authorities, and false identification to law enforcement authorities.

Police said store personnel called police to report that Rossi and an unidentified female attempted to steal a Hauwei Windows Phone valued at $211.88.

Police said store personnel detained Rossi, but the female fled in a vehicle with the phone.

During questioning, police said Rossi gave the officer a false name and a Pennsylvania driver's license bearing the false name, but police said the photo on the license did not match Rossi's face. Police said Rossi later gave the officer his correct name and said he used the fake license to conceal his identity because there was a warrant for his arrest in Schuylkill County.

In addition to the driver's license, police said Rossi also had in his possession a credit card and medical cards that belonged to a resident of Tamaqua.

Police notified the man from Tamaqua, who told police he had previously lost his wallet, police said.

As questioning continued, police said Rossi provided the name of the female who fled the store with the phone, and he took officers to her house.

After reviewing the store's security video, police discovered that the woman Rossi identified was not the same woman who was in the store with him when the theft occurred.

Police said Rossi was detained in Carbon County Prison on the outstanding Schuylkill County warrant and also arraigned on the list of charges related to the retail theft.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.

Man allegedly charged at officer inside hospital

A 30-year-old Hazle Township man faces charges after allegedly charging at a police officer while at Hazleton General Hospital on Sunday night.

Ryan J. Morresi was charged by state police at Hazleton with simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment. He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Joseph A. Halesey, Wilkes-Barre, Monday, who set bail at 10 percent of $20,000.

According to court papers, Weatherly police took Morresi into custody for a previous incident and then to the hospital around 7 p.m. after Morresi banged his head off the cage in the Weatherly patrol vehicle and sustained a cut on his head.

Then while in the hospital's triage with Weatherly police, a trooper and a hospital security worker, Morresi became agitated and began banging his head on the triage wall, court papers state. A trooper grabbed him to prevent him from hurting himself, according to arrest papers, but Morresi charged at and pushed a trooper against a wall and then tried grabbing the trooper's duty belt. The trooper punched Morresi to stop him and he was restrained, court papers state.

Hazleton incidents

Hazleton police reported the following. Anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling 911 or 570-459-4940:

- An unknown man smashed the front glass entrance door at the Dollar General, West Walnut Street, Tuesday at about 11:28 p.m. and took numerous packs and cartons of cigarettes before fleeing the store in a southwest direction. The burglar is described as six feet tall with a thin build. He was wearing blue jeans, black/white colored sneakers and a black hoodie.

- Luis Gonzalez will be cited for disturbing the peace after officers responded to the 600 block of Seybert Street Wednesday at about 2:13 a.m.

- A dark Jeep with Pennsylvania registration JFG 4844 and owned by Marjorie Then-Chacon hit the side of a home. Police didn't indicate the home's address but said several pieces of the Jeep were found at the scene of the crash Nov. 27 at about 11:20 p.m. The vehicle sustained damage to the rear passenger side bumper, corner panel and breaklights.

- Jeffrey Kondrath, 57, no hometown provided, was cited for public drunkenness and taken to Hazleton General Hospital by American Patient Transport Systems Inc., Wednesday around 5:30 p.m. after police were dispatched to the 500 block of South Poplar Street for a report of an overly intoxicated man stumbling in the street. Then at about 8:40 p.m. police were called to the hospital for an unruly patient and cited Kondrath with harassment and disorderly conduct after he caused a disturbance.

- A .40 caliber Smith & Wesson Firestar M-40 semi-automatic handgun was reported stolen Tuesday from a garage at the rear of a home in the 1000 block of East Broad Street.

- Two vehicles parked in the area of First and Pardee streets Thursday around 2 a.m., were found vandalized.

- The window of a Toyota Corolla was smashed between 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and 7:30 a.m. Thursday while it was parked in the 600 block of Seybert Street.

- Robert Miller, 63, Weatherly, was cited for public drunkenness after police were dispatched to the area of Church and Chestnut streets for an intoxicated man Wednesday at about 6:24 p.m. He was taken to Hazleton General Hospital by American Patient Transport Systems Inc.

Butler Township police activity

Butler Township police reported the following incidents. Anyone with information about these matters can telephone the police at 570-788-3230.

- A vehicle driven by Sandra Gapinkski hit a mailbox and utility pole when it went out of control on Edgerock Drive near Four Seasons Drive on Nov. 16.

- A tractor-trailer parked along Prospect Road was broken into Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., but it doesn't appear that anything was stolen.

- A resident of the 300 block of South Old Turnpike Road said a man was prowling on Nov. 18 at 9:15 p.m.

- An aluminum truck rim was stolen from Blue Stone Inc. on Nov. 17.

- A stereo was stolen from a home in the 100 block of Maple Drive between 5 p.m. Nov. 22 and 10 a.m. Nov. 23 after the home was broken into.

- A Brooklyn, N.Y., motorist was charged with causing a disturbance at a motel where he sought help after his vehicle broke down on Interstate 80 on Monday at 6 a.m. Lorenzo D. Ross, 25, was charged with trespass and disorderly conduct.

- Vandals damaged the tire of a vehicle parked at the Valley Regional Fire Department on Nov. 26.

- A vehicle driven by Virgil Francisc went out of control on Grouse Ridge Lane, hitting a stopped vehicle driven by Jessica Tuscano and a stop sign, on Tuesday at 6:45 a.m. when the roadway was slippery.

- An aluminum pick, faucets, Fiberglas ladders and a pedestal sink were stolen between Nov. 18 and 19 from a home under construction in the 100 block of Dogwood Road.

- A Hazleton woman, Gris Delgado, was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center on Tuesday evening after her car struck an embankment and rolled over on sleet-slicked North Hunter Highway.

Police searching for Harleigh man

State police at searching for Matthew Schoch, 24, Harleigh, and ask anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact them at 570-459-3890.

Troopers said Schoch violated an active protection from abuse order at 142 Fern St., Foster Township, Nov. 22 at about 6:50 p.m., was cited for trespassing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Area incidents

State police at Hazleton reported the following. Anyone with information is asked to contact troopers at 570-459-3890.

- A white man stole a 32-inch Samsung television from Walmart, Hazle Township, on Saturday around 1:20 a.m. He fled the area in what appeared to be a dark Dodge Stratus with an unknown Pennsylvania registration plate.

- Troopers said scratches were found on the sides and roof of Nicole Cebulski's 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The damage was incurred between 6:45 p.m. Nov. 26 and 5:20 a.m. Nov. 27 while the vehicle was parked at Amazon Distribution Center, 550 Oakridge Road, Hazle Township.

- A juvenile female sustained minor injuries after she and a juvenile male engaged in a verbal altercation which turned physical at Hazleton Area High School, Hazle Township, Nov. 22 between 3 and 3:30 p.m.

- Keisla J. Rodriguez, 22, Hazleton, and Julio Vargas-Pujols, 22, Hazleton, opened merchandise and tried to conceal it before leaving Kmart in the Laurel Mall Nov. 25 at about 1:46 p.m. The pair was stopped by store loss prevention workers and cited for retail theft.

- Someone in a dark car initiated a U-turn at 1815 state Route 940 in Hazle Township Nov. 24 between 11:30 and 11:59 p.m. but damaged a mailbox owned by Denise M. Cheesman.

- Crystal M. Massas, 30, McAdoo, was traveling west on state Route 940 in Hazle Township near Pierce Court when she lost control of her vehicle while trying to pass another vehicle and hit a utility pole Nov. 24. Her vehicle spun after impact and then hit the front porch of a home along Route 940.

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